Nail-making machine



March 3, 1931.

R. F. KI EFER NAIL MAKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR WITNESSES WWW March 3, 1931. R. F. KIEFER 1,795,216

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NAIL MAKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN\TOR March 3; 1931. F, E E 1,795,216

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March 3, 1931. R. F. KlE-FER I 1,795,216

NAIL MAKING MACHINE Filed Dec. .3, 1927 5Sheeos-Sheet 5 F 1F13Q f a WITNESSES INVENTOR @QMXQAW W M Patented 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RALPH F. KIEFER, OI

PORATION, OF NEW YORK,

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 130 STROWAN 003- N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE NAIL-MAKING mom Application filed December 3, 1927. Serial No. 237,423.

The invention relates to nail-making machinery, and-particularly to such machines adapted to make nails which have a reduced forward end but which do not terminate in a point.

An object of the invention is to provide a nail-making machine having mechanism adapted to form the forward end or tip. of the nail into a blunt-ended, preferably threefaced tip, and in which the various nail-making operations are coordinated and synchronized from a common driving means. Such nails are illustrated in U. S. Patent No. 1,466,67 6, issued September 4, 1926, .to H. S. Stronach et al.

Other objects of the invention will hereinafter be apparent.

The machines hitherto used for making nails have been provided with means for simultaneously forming the point and cutting olf the eludes two knives which form 'four symmetrically disposed faces in the shape of a four-sided pyramid on the tip of the nail, the

faces generally tapering to intersect in a relatively sharp point. Wood into which such nails are driven frequently splits along the grain, because no matter how the point is placed with respect to the grain it always acts as a wedge.

The present invention provides .a machine for producing nails having a special point whereby thistendency is substantially avoided. The tip-forming mechanism of the machine provided by the invention comprises an dd number of forming dies or knives whie are actuated simultaneously to form a tip having an uneven number of faces, which are preferably tapered to a rather blunt tip. In its preferred form the tip thus produced may be styled a truncated triangular pyramid. Such a nail when driven into Wood has less tendency to open the grain because the sides of this form of tip cut their way into the wood and the tip itself being blunt and incapable of true wedge elfect exerts a punching action on the fibers, instead a of the wedging, separating action of the prior forms of nails. v x

A preferred embodiment of the invention nail. This means generally in- 18, which. in

is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings 7 of which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a nailmaking machine constructed according to the Having reference to the drawings, the machine comprises a frame designated generally by the numeral 1, having end members 2 and 3, in which there are journalled in suitable bearings threeparallel shafts 4, 5 and 6, which are preferably disposed at 120 degree intervals about a central point, to be equidistant from that point and also from each other. "This arrangement is especiallyevident in Fig. 5.-

Rotation of the shafts and actuation of the other nail-forming mechanism hereinafter described, is accomplished through a common drive, which comprisesa crank shaft 7,

Fig. 2, transversely carried in suitable bearings 8, and which projects on one side of the frame to receive a fly wheel 9, and fixed and loose pulleys 10 and 11 respectively.' Crank shaft 7 carries two spiral gears 12 and 13, Figs. 2 and 3, which engage similar gears 14: and 15, respectively, mounted transversely thereto on shafts 4 and 5. Ai spur gear 16, mounted on the end of shaft 5, meshes with an idler gear 17, carried on a stub shaft turn meshes with another spur gear 19 disposed on shaft 6. Thus shafts 4, 5 and 6 are actuated simultaneously by rota- .tion ofcrank shaft 7 the gears being conend member 3, passes wire to a headfmg die carried in a die block, the assembly being indicated generally at 21, Fig. 2, and. since this is an outside plan view of the assembly the die is not shown. The wire is advanced intermittently to the die by a feeding mechanism which includes a feed rod 22, adjustably disposed at one end in a yoke 23 and in an end connector 24 at the other, Figs. 2 and 12. j

A feed disc 25, carried by crank shaft 7 is provided with a T-slot 26 in which a pin 27, passing through end connector 24, is eccentrically adjustable to vary the stroke imparted to feed rod 22. Yoke 23 is connected to a feed lever 28, pivoted at 29, which cooperates with the straightener to advance wire to the anvil die when the lever is oscillated about its pivot point by reciprocation of the feed rod upon rotation of the crank shaft.

A hammer 30, Fig. 2 mounted opposite-the heading die is carried by a plunger 31 carried by a connecting rod 32, which operatively engages the crank shaft. Upon rotation of the crank shaft, the hammer is reciprocated to form a nail head on the end of the wire passed through the'die.

The primary function of shafts 4, 5 and 6 is to actuate the tip-forming mechanism, and to this end they are provided with fixed eccentrics or cams 33, 34 and 35, respectively which are engaged by straps 36.; 37 and 38, Figs. 2 and 5. Die holders 39, 40 and 41 are pivotally connected to these straps and they are mounted in front of the heading die for reciprocation on guide blocks 42, supported by the frame. The die holders, straps, and

eccentrics are all similar, and it will be observed that, like the shafts which actuate them, they are grouped about a common point. and in the embodiment shown they move in the same vertical plane.

The die holders are shown clearly in Fig. 5. The inner, or projecting end of each is 1 provided with a dovetailed slot 43, and inter- 'mediate the end of each holder, is a boss 44.

Disposed in the slots in two of the die holders are forming dies 45, beveled on the side at 46 to conform to the shape of dove-tail slots 43, and pointed at one end, preferably in the manner shown by Figs. 6 to 8. The third.

forming die 47 preferably is provided with a cut off member, and is disposed in the third die holder. This die, Figs. 9 to 11, is substantially similar to the forming dies 45, but it is tapped and threaded from the rear, at 48, and then a dove-tailed slot 49 is out in it to re ceive a cutter 50. which is held thereinand adjustable longitudinally by means of a set screw 51. A clamping bolt 52 is preferably provided for each of the dies. The dies are adjustable longitudinally by set screws 53 disposed in the bosses 44,.which bear against the rear of the dies, and screws 53 are held in fixed position by set screws 54.

Inasmuch asshafts 4, 5 and 6 are driven at the same speed, there will result a synchromeagre nous radial reciprocation of the knife holders toward and from a common central point, which is the axis of the wire which is to be formed. The dies are adjusted in the holders so as to meet the wire at substantially the same time. The cutter is adjusted to sever the wire at the proper time.

The operation of the machine is as follows. Rotation of shaft 7 produces simultaneous rotation of shafts 4, 5 and 6, in the manner hereinbefore explained, and at the same time actuates the feed mechanism through the feed rod 22. The heading die is of a standard type which grips the wire 55 during the heading operation and thereafter releases it for advancement. This operation is obtained by means of a bell crank 56, Fig. 4, pivoted at 57 which has an arm 58 carrying a roller 59 which runs on a cam 60, disposed on shaft 6, as shown by Figs. 1 and 4. The

other arm 61 of the bell crank carries an adin the usual manner, which will be understood by those skilled in the art. Assuming the heading die to have gripped the wire 55, the hammer 30, which has been advanced by connecting rod 32, strikes and upsets its project ing end, forming the nail head. The movements are coordinated in such a manner that when the head has been formed, the diereleases the wire. the hammer is retracted, and at the same, time feed lever 28 is rocked to pass wire through the straightening rolls and die, the throw being adjusted to extend it the full length of the nail beyond the die, the stroke or throw of this lever being adjustable to vary the lengths of the nails, as desired. During this time rotation of shafts 4., 5 and 6 has been advancing the die holders,

and when the Wire has been extended a proper length the dies continue moving inwardly to the end of their stroke. The cutter 50 is positioned to .sever the wire just before the forming die which carries it contacts with the wire, and all of the forming dies are adjusted to engage the severed wire simultaneously to squeeze the severed end and form the tip. This adjustment of the forming dies is made such that their fully advanced movement is limited to positions away from the longitudinal axis or center of the wire, so that their forward movement is insufficient to form the blunt tip into a point. After the dies have formed the tip they retreat, and the hammer advances again to repeat the cycle.

A nail produced according to the invention is shown in Fig. 13. The head and shank are of the customary shape, but the tip comprises three faces 7, tapered forwardly and cut off to form a terminal face, substantially Iclaim:

other, and no two of them are in alignment, the faces of the tip do not constitute a true Wedge in any direction.

Thus the invention provides a nail-making machine which employs an odd number of dies positioned to form a nail tip of reduced cross sectional area without producing a point, and with comparatively slight wedging action on being driven into wood. The construction of the machine is simple, and the requisite synchronism of operations, and especially of the dies is insured by applying the preferred construction shown and -de scribed. Furthermore, the dies are easily adjustable to provide the necessary accurate coordination therebetween. The invention is not limited to forming nails of the specific form described, as other non-wedge or unpointed shapes may be produced, and for this purpose modifications of the machine are possible without departing from the invention. The nails produced by the embodiment illustrated and described herein generally have a small cup-like depression in the tip end, owin to the fact that the pressure of the forming dies causes some of the wire to flow out in the direction of the severed point without, however, materially affecting substantially the truncated triangular form of the point. While this cup-like depression is not a critical characteristic of the point, it is believed that it aids in the punching action previously described.

1. In a nail-making machine, means for heading Wire supplied thereto, three tip-- 2. A machine for making nails having a 4 three-faced ,tip comprising the combination with head-forming mechanism, and means for intermittently feeding wire thereto, of three tip-formin dies disposed at 120 degree intervals ad acent said heading mechanism and radially reciprocable in the same forming dies disposed at substantially equal angular intervals radially about the wire, said dies being formed wtih tapering blunt faces slopin away from the end of the wire and adapte to form a blunt tip on the nail, the sides of the dies being formed on such angles as to provide clearances between the dies, one of said dies being provided with separate cutting knife extending beyond the dies, and means synchronously actuating said dies to form a tip and sever the nail from the wire, said dies acting on a headed length of wire.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

RA'LPH F. KIEFER.

plane with respect to said wire, the dies being formed with sloping flat faces and sides tapered away from the faces on such angles as to provide clearances between the dies, the

edges of the sloping fiat faces being adjacent each other, andmeans for actuating said dies, heading mechanism and feeding means in cooperatively timed relation.

3. A nail making machine comprising wirefeeding mechanism, heading mechanism, an

odd number of reciprocably mounted tip- 

